Burn and Gazel's Vacation
by Vera The Awesome
Summary: Burn and Gazel plan a seperate vacation for themselves, but they end up having to spend it together! How will they cope with sharing a room, a bed, a bath, not to mention their building feelings for each other? Burn/Gazel, obviously.
1. Meeting in the train

**A/N: To everyone who reviewed my Burn/Gazel _White Day_ fanfic, thank you very much! You gave me the confidence to upload more. There's not much fanservice in the first chapter, but I promise it'll get better. Enjoy everyone!**

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><p>Summer. A few weeks had passed since Football Frontier International had ended, and the ruckus about Inazuma Japan's victory had finally begun to die down. While there were still many people celebrating, though, two individuals found themselves in Tokyo train station in the early morning. Both of these boys had dedicated most of their life to soccer, and knew not how to spend their time now that their road in the sport had reached a dead end. That's why they had decided to each go on a haphazard journey; to escape from the pressure and disappointment their losses against Raimon Junior High had brought upon them, as well as to find a possible new road in life they could take.<p>

The only ticket they both owned, was a ticket for the train that lead in direction of Okinawa. Both Burn and Gazel had, unbeknownst to each other, the exact same plan: they would take the train to the South of Japan and see there what to do next. They had no stable vacation schedule in mind; all they wanted was to let loose and see what this journey would bring them.

The hands of the enormous station clock pointed to 7:30 am. Despite the early morning time, however, the Tokyo temperature didn't feel intimidated, and the sun shone its light brightly, the rays reflecting on the large buildings.

In order to protect himself from these blinding sun rays, Gazel had provided himself with a straw hat, covering not only his hair but also his eyes. As the owner of the powers of ice, Gazel was anything but fond of the heat. The reason he didn't wish to travel to the North, though, was his newfound interest in beaches and other cooling establishments. He was curious to see what people found so great about them, as he had rarely visited them himself. Plus, seeing as he was in search of a new road, it might be a good idea to take a detour from his usual interests.

Just as Gazel entered the train, Burn found the platform it was waiting at. The only gadget he had taken as protection from the sun, were a pair of stunning sunglasses. Unlike the cool-blooded Gazel, Burn adored this kind of weather, and for that exact reason wished to travel south. Shining with a cheerful grin, he entered the train through the same door Gazel had, and found his seat in the same compartment Gazel had booked his.

Each compartment consisted of ten sets of four fancy-looking seats, a narrow isle dividing them in two groups of five. While Gazel had taken his seat in number 33, Burn found number 34 – which stood back to back with the other boy's. They failed to notice each other, however, as Burn paid no heed to fellow passengers, and Gazel's view had been blocked by his hat.

The train left at 7:43. Both boys had booked a window seat, and took their advantage of them by admiring the view that rapidly passed by. After a while, though, Gazel fished a book out of his suitcase, and Burn started to play a game on his phone while leaning one foot atop his backpack.

They remained totally unaware of each other's presence until they needed the toilet at the same time. They got up, moved onto the isle and bumped right into each other.

After stumbling back in surprise, Gazel apologized and took a small bow to show that he meant it. "I'm sorry! I was just looking for the toilet."

"Oh," Burn remarked, "toilet's thatta…" He slowly stopped talking when his brain paused to recognize that voice, and with that the posture that had been hidden under the straw hat facing him. Using the hand that had pointed towards the toilet behind Gazel's back, he placed his sunglasses on the tip of his nose, revealing the shock in his eyes. "Gazel…?"

Gazel, still looking at his feet, froze for a moment when he heard a very a familiar voice say his name. Who on this train full of random people could possibly know him? It couldn't be… He lifted his head and very quickly realized it could. He stared at Burn with just as much of a shocked expression, but also an angry one. He immediately regretted bowing to the likes of him, let alone apologizing. That same regret increased when Burn pointed straight at his hat and let out a sudden laugh, alerting the passengers around them.

"Holy crap! Gazel—What is _that_?"

Feeling his cheeks go red, Gazel stared at the floor again, brushing slowly through his silver-coloured locks. Burn just continued to laugh, apparently finding his accessoire pretty damn funny, which only managed to annoy him further.

"… Burn… What are you doing here?" he asked through gritted teeth, in desperate attempt to change the subject.

"Eh?" Focusing on the question, Burn ceased his laughter, but the amusement was still visible in his grin. "Oh, just taking a vacation," he replied, confidently pushing his sunglasses back up his nose.

Gazel raised his eyebrows. "You too?"

"Yup. I don't need to ask where you're headed, looking at your…" Burn interrupted himself with a snort, informing Gazel of what was coming a second time.

He clenched his fists in embarrassment, wondering what he had done to come across this idiot even when he was trying to leave his past behind.

"Yes, well… I don't care where you're headed. You better stop poking fun at unfunny objects before you make an even bigger fool of yourself."

Sparkling with dignity, Gazel turned 180 degrees and made his way to the toilet, leaving Burn to realize most passengers in a 5 meter radius were staring at him. He felt a blush appear on his own cheeks and quickly sat down, figuring Gazel's seat had to be around here too.

Burn fixed his eyes on the passing landscape for a moment, recalling one particular part from their conversation: Gazel had called him by his alien name. Even though neither of them worked for Aliea Academy anymore, they were both used to calling each other Burn and Gazel. For some reason, it comforted Burn. To him, their alien names fitted them better than their real ones, as they had dedicated most of their life to fighting for Aliea. Besides, he wasn't even sure his real name _was_ Nagumo Haruya. Even though he was meant to close the Aliea chapter of his life, Burn felt happy that this naming habit hadn't disappeared between him and Gazel.

He blinked a couple of times, suddenly wondering what he was thinking. He wasn't meant to care about what Gazel called him, unless it was a deliberate insult. He wasn't meant to care about his thoughts, not even about his presence. From now on, he should try to ignore him. Should he even try to… forget about him?

Burn became so lost in thought that he didn't notice Gazel's approaching footsteps that stopped right behind his seat. The other boy shot him a glance for a moment, but, wondering the exact same thing as Burn, decided to leave him alone and sat down.

The fact that they had just literally bumped into each other wasn't meant to interfere one bit with their plans. They were supposed to take a different journey on their own, without anyone altering their course. Unbeknownst to them, this little meeting had already begun to change it.


	2. The same hotel room?

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone! They truly make me happy! I should mention about this chapter that Gazel and Burn's destination is completely made up by me. I have never been to Japan so I dare not touch places that actually exist and ruin the accuracy. Enjoy!**

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><p>The train arrived at its final destination by noon. Burn and Gazel took their luggage and stepped outside, taking in the first view of the city that lay at the very Southern point of Japan. Each trying to forget about the other, they left the station and walked in opposite directions. However, it didn't take long before they planned their next step, which would make them cross paths a second time. While Gazel read a travel guide at an ice cream cart, Burn scrolled through a similar guide at a videogame store. They then decided at the exact same moment: they were going to take the ferry to SunShore Island. The island revolved simply around beach and relaxation, which were the two elements they both wanted.<p>

After Gazel had paid for his five scoops of soft ice cream, he calmly made his way to the port. Burn had been caused a little bit of delay, as he failed to find the ferry right away. By the time he got there, Gazel had found his spot aboard the boat. Even though there were seats on both the inside and the outside, Gazel had taken an inside seat, seeing as the heat was a little too much for him. Whenever he could find shade, he took it. Once Burn had paid for his ticket, he narrowly missed Gazel a second time, occupying an outside seat so he could enjoy the sun.

Half an hour had passed when the separate pair perked up as their destination came in sight. SunShore Island was a small island containing only a couple of villages, hotels, beaches and hills. Only in the middle stood a noticeably large mountain. This island had to be the perfect vacation spot for them both.

Fifteen minutes later, the ferry arrived at the island's port. Gazel grabbed his suitcase and pulled it along on its wheels to the exit, which he then noticed seemed blocked. A crowd had gathered around the gate, staring both in awe and impatience at the current center of attention. Sharing in that impatience, Gazel pushed himself to the inner circle, and a moment later wished he hadn't.

Burn had gotten into a fight with one of the passengers. From what Gazel could gather, he had apparently bumped his backpack into him per accident, but the passenger insisted he had done it with the intention of starting a fight.

Burn, not in the mood for this, told him: "For the fifth time, it was an accident. What's your problem, man?"

"The problem is that you shoved that dumbass bag straight into my back," the passenger snapped, "Tulip-head!"

A throbbing vein instantly became visible on Burn's forehead. "Tulip-head…?"

Snickering inwardly, Gazel decided to meddle with the situation. He was familiar with Burn's view on his flower-shaped hair, and if their fellow passenger didn't put a lid on it, he'd be flying overboard within the next two minutes.

Gazel went to stand between the two quarrelers, aiming an open hand at one chest each. "Alright, enough," he ordered, "this fight ends now."

Swallowing the urge to demand what the hell this stranger was doing prying in his business, Burn stared at this familiar stranger with wide eyes. He had expected Gazel to take a different direction from the train station, but it turned out they were both on the ferry that lead to only one island. His island.

"Gazel!" he breathed. "What are you doing here?"

Gazel looked at him impatiently. "Trying to enjoy my vacation. You're holding up the line."

The angry passenger also had something to say. "Who do you think you are, meddling with my bu-" He was instantly silenced by the ice cold glare the other boy suddenly shot him. His eyes had turned an intimidating shade of blue, and this look was enough for the passenger to let the whole situation slide. Without another word, he made his way off the ferry and unblocked the line of impatient fellow passengers.

Once Burn and Gazel had also gotten ashore, they weren't exactly sure what to do next. The island they had just stepped foot on wasn't exactly big, and if they separated, they would definitely run into each other again, be it on the beach, or, heaven forbid, the same hotel.

Trying to avoid this strangely touchy subject, Burn flashed a glance at the ocean and muttered: "I could've solved that myself, you know."

"Yes, I know," Gazel acknowledged without hesitation. "But knowing you, not the right way. I know how being called a Tulip-head ticks you off."

Burn gritted his teeth when he heard that nickname again, out of this mouth of all mouths. A small blush also started to glow on his cheeks when he realized that Gazel was right; he was one of the people who knew him best. He had never stopped to think that even though they had been rivals for half the time they spent together, they had gotten to know each other pretty well.

"Yeah, well… Your being here ain't gonna affect my plans. I'm off," Burn muttered, turning away and nearly hitting Gazel with his backpack in the process.

Gazel dodged the bump with a swift move, and simply remained silent while he followed Burn with his eyes. There was nothing he could use as a comeback; Burn had just announced not only his own thoughts, but also Gazel's.

Gently tugging forward his sunhat to cover his eyes, as if he needed something to avert them from the other boy, Gazel turned into the opposite direction, feeling awkward just knowing Burn was on the same island as him.

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><p>"You have <em>got<em> to be kidding me…!"

Burn had just passed the entrance of Hotel SunShore, intending to check in for the holiday, but he was now frozen upon the sight of a too familiar boy already standing in front of the reception desk. Gazel just rolled his eyes in response to Burn's reaction and looked elsewhere, brushing gently through his hair.

"Dude—No way! I am not going to stay in the same hotel as you!" Burn turned on his heel, but was stopped by the voice or a nervous receptionist.

"Excuse me, sir, if I may… All other hotels on this island are full. Hotel SunShore is the only one with room left."

Burn needed a moment to clench his fists and let out an impatient growl, but then stomped over to the desk, slamming a flat hand on top of it.

"Fine. One room, two weeks."

"Understood." With an awkward expression, the receptionist attempted to make everything in order on her computer, but frowned in fear at what was to come when the screen told her there was more bad news.

"Ah… I appear to have made a calculation mistake. There is only one room in our hotel left. Would you two gentlemen object to sharing it?"

Gazel gripped his silver locks so tightly it nearly hurt, but said nothing.

Burn groaned and shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them and repeated: "Fine. As long as it has separate beds."

The receptionist gulped and avoided looking him in the eye. "… uhm, well…"

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><p>They each sat on one side of the queen-size-bed that belonged to their room. Even though they weren't facing each other, both Burn and Gazel felt awkward as it was, knowing they had to share nearly everything during the course of their holiday. Their luggage had been brought in nearly ten minutes ago, but neither one of the pair had left the bed, which is where they had been sitting since they'd entered the room.<p>

Gazel perked up when he heard Burn mutter something among the lines of "How did it turn out like this?" He turned his head, facing Burn's back, and noticed that the other boy's hands were slowly squeezing the duvet between their fingers.

Gazel raised an eyebrow at the back of Burn's head. "Do you hate me so much?"

Burn nearly flinched out of his thoughts and turned his head with abrupt speed. "What?"

"You've been clear about your opinion on spending a holiday with me all day," Gazel explained. "Everytime we bumped into each other, you had something to say."

Burn glared at him. "What about you? You're the one who keeps touching his hair each time we meet, and I know what that means."

Gazel was about to suit the action to the word, but then realized he was a second away from confirming Burn's words and quickly lowered his hand. "Do you?"

"Yeah. It means you can't stand being in front of me, but you're too much of a coward to say it, unlike me."

Gazel's teal-coloured eyes slowly narrowed a little. He recognized Burn's good old arrogance in that last part, and he still couldn't stand it.

Only half realizing he was expressing that same arrogance by lifting his head and delicately brushing his hand aside his hair, he answered: "Who is the coward here? Not the one whose team was granted a chance to fight Raimon, that's for sure."

Burn's eyes narrowed completely, and he got up from the bed in an instant. "You picking a fight?"

Gazel answered him with a conceited grin and simply said: "You still burn up easily, I see." He widened his eyes in shock when Burn suddenly came at him, his arms reaching out to get his revenge. Gazel let out a groan when he found himself lying on the bed, his wrists pinned down on each side of his head. He glanced up at the other boy with only one eye open, taken aback by his action. Burn was hanging over him, not planning to let his wrists go.

"Get off of me…" Gazel ordered slowly. He had no doubts that he would be able to push Burn off himself, but he didn't want to risk making the fight even worse. This was the first time Burn had attacked him by other means than soccer, and Gazel had no idea how to respond to it. To make matters worse, his ice-cold cheeks had melted into a small blush.

Burn seemed unaffected by his words, if they had even managed to reach him. He simply glared down at the other boy, but luckily, it looked like he wasn't going to make any other sudden moves. It was then that his grip on Gazel's wrists loosened and his facial expression softened. Eventually, Burn averted his eyes from the blushing boy underneath him and muttered: "Why'd you have to bring that up…"

Gazel raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"Aren't you doing it too? Taking this holiday to forget about the whole Aliea thing?" When Burn regained eye contact, Gazel had to admit he suddenly looked rather sympathetic. This time, he was the one to look away when he spoke.

"I am… That's why it might not be a good idea to spend it together."

Burn exhaled a sigh, confirming his exact same thoughts. He completely let go of Gazel and went to sit next to him instead, gazing at the duvet. "Well, it's not like we have a choice now," he grumbled.

Gazel also sat up and massaged his wrists for a moment, then looked over at Burn. "Exactly. That's why we shouldn't spend our time fighting, don't you think? Besides, the last times we played soccer we were _teammates._ What happened to that?"

"… I don't know… I don't know," Burn growled. He clenched the duvet once again and shut his eyes for a moment. "It's just that whenever I look at you, I remember Aliea Academy, along with all the times we argued."

Gazel decided not to answer him, as his situation was no different from Burn's. Even though he had felt a glimpse of pleasure when he teased Burn, as he had often done, he wondered if their relationship could involve anything other than rivalry. They had worked together as teammates, as allies… Now that they were both determined to leave the past behind, there might be an opening for friendship.

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><p><strong>AN: Next chapter: bath time! ;D Please review!**


	3. Bath time

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone! About this chapter, it takes place in a hot spring, or "onsen" in Japanese. I'm used to calling it onsen so that's what I'm doing here. Again, I have never been to Japan, so the onsen I described in this chapter might not be a hundred percent accurate. I have no intention of mocking the Japanese culture or even coming off as a complete weeaboo, so please don't take offense if I said something wrong. People make mistakes. Enjoy!**

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><p>The room was dark when Burn opened his eyes. Disoriented, he took his sweet time sitting up on a soft surface, which he then realized was the bed he and Gazel were supposed to share. Once his eyes had gotten used to the darkness, he recognized the silhouette of the boy sleeping next to him. They must've both fallen asleep earlier, having been tired from their trip.<p>

Burn watched Gazel sleep in silence, taking in a sight of him that he had to admit was completely new to him. The cold-blooded Gazel had melted into a fragile little boy, sleeping soundly without any worries. He lay on his side, his face directed at Burn, breathing calmly and inaudibly through his nose.

Burn continued to gaze at the sweet-looking boy, feeling almost fascinated by this side of him. It was when a bit of Gazel's hair moved and covered his eye that he blinked out of his trance. Still a bit in awe, though, he gently lifted his hand and carefully picked up the locks with his fingertips. He got the shock of his life when Gazel's eye, now open, had become visible again.

Burn didn't know how fast to pull his hand back, or even get off the bed. He nearly fell on his face before he managed to stand properly, and just stared at Gazel with wide eyes. "Gazel! I—that—that was—"

Gazel didn't respond. He leaned on one hand in order to sit up, and used the other to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He let out a yawn before he made eye-contact with a flushing Burn. "Did you just touch my hair…?"

"It—It was in the way! I mean—it was hanging at your nose, you could've sneezed!" Right after blurting out his pathetic excuse for a… well, excuse, Burn knocked himself on the head for not just vividly denying the action in the first place.

"Oh," Gazel merely said. It seemed like he felt indifferent to the situation, but he was in fact grateful for the darkness hiding his own blush. He took a look at the clock on the nightstand and saw it was a little after 11 pm. He had slept for quite a while, and he wanted to sleep some more, but not before taking a bath to wash off all the dirt from today.

"I'm going to take a bath," he announced.

Burn's madly beating heart slowed down upon the relief that Gazel apparently didn't intend to discuss this topic further. "A—a bath?"

"Yes." Gazel made his way to his suitcase without bothering to turn on the light. Unlike Burn, who was quite keen on light, he did fine in the darkness. "I hear they have an excellent onsen here."

"An onsen, huh…" Burn looked down for a moment, liking the thought of a warm bath himself. "I'm coming too."

Gazel turned away his increasingly blushing head, just in case. "… alright."

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><p>Burn's worries were instantly gone when he saw the onsen that was waiting for them. Since it was so late at night, they were the only guests using it at this hour, and he sure planned on enjoying the steaming hot water.<p>

With a cry of excitement, he ran towards the open- air bath, leaving Gazel in the dust. The other boy made an attempt to follow him and stumbled: "O-oi, Burn, you're supposed to wash yourself fir—" His words turned out to be vain when Burn ripped off his towel and made a giant leap towards the bath, splashing water everywhere when he landed.

Gazel, at a safe distance, turned away his head with a pout and muttered to himself: "In over his head, as always…" Making sure to keep his own towel tightly wrapped around his waist, he sat down in the self-cleansing area next to the bath and began to wash his skin with a sponge.

After swimming back and forth in the hot water a couple of times, Burn stopped in the middle and waved at Gazel's back with one hand.

"Oi, Gazel! What's taking you? The water's great!"

"Hm," Gazel simply answered, not bothering to turn his head in Burn's direction. He took a few more minutes before he decided he was ready for the bath, and when he turned in direction of the water, he saw that Burn had finally calmed down. He was now resting at one side of the bath, his elbows on the edge.

Burn perked up when he noticed Gazel was going to join him at last. He followed him with his eyes as the other boy slowly made his way to the bath, apparently fond of keeping his towel on. He let out a snicker when Gazel touched the water with one foot and instantly pulled back, complaining about the high temperature.

Seeing as he was completely in his element, Burn made his way to Gazel without an effort. Seemingly out of nowhere, he was suddenly holding on to his arm and pulled the boy in without a warning, causing another big splash.

Gazel's body landed entirely under the surface. Completely in shock, he pulled up his head and gasped for air. He felt how the hot water got under his skin and needed some time to get used to it, especially since he hadn't been granted any before he was suddenly forced into the bath.

Once the uncomfortable heat had turned into a soothing warmth, Gazel angrily turned to face Burn, spreading his arms in indignation. "What the hell was that?"

Burn placed his hands at his sides and let out another snicker. "You seemed to need some help."

"I was moving at my own pace!" Gazel snapped. "What is wrong with you? Do you have some kind of grudge against me?"

Burn raised his eyebrows. "A grudge?" Then he grinned again. "Relax, Gazel. It was a joke, a joke."

Gazel blinked in surprise. A joke? He had never been joked around with like this before, and he had immediately figured Burn pulled him in the bath out of spite. But judging from his behavior, especially that innocent grin, it appeared he really meant no harm.

With a small "hmph", Gazel made his way to the other side of the bath, wanting to make sure he was out of Burn's reach in case he had other "jokes" lined up. He also took a relaxing position at the edge, and, leaning back, shut his eyes for a moment. He used that moment to think about the situation he was currently in. Despite having lived in the same place as Burn, he had never taken a bath with him, let alone in an onsen. Gazel preferred to bathe on his own. Aside from that, they were on the same island, in the same hotel, planning to have the exact same holiday. Did fate have a reason for bringing them together everytime again…?

Gazel opened his eyes, only to be shaken out of his thoughts right away. Burn's face suddenly found itself right in front of his, leaving a narrow space in between. Trying to enlarge that space and splashing water in the process, Gazel stuttered: "W-what?"

"Hey, Gazel," Burn started, surprisingly calm. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

Gazel stared at him in disbelief, his heart quickly beating at its normal pace again. That was all…? _Don't scare me like that, man._ In an attempt to regain his cool posture, his hand moved in a swift brush across his hair while the boy answered: "N-nothing much, really. I was planning to visit the beach."

"Really? Me too!" Burn flipped on his back and swam around a little more, his head resting on his arms. "The beach next to this hotel, right?"

Feeling his cheeks turn a dark colour, Gazel quickly turned away his head to avoid seeing the wrong parts. "Y-yes, that beach. But perhaps I better go to another…"

"Huh?" Burn sat up in order to look at his face. "That's no fun, Gazel. Since we're here we might as well go together, right?"

Gazel slowly turned back when he realized the coast was clear, although he truly felt quite surprised by Burn's behavior. Not only did he act awfully familiar, he also seemed to have completely forgotten about their earlier conversation. Unlike him, Gazel still remembered the point when he had pushed him down on their bed, his eyes filled with furious flames. Where had that fury gone?

When he realized Burn was waiting for an answer, Gazel rushed to nod at him, realizing he might come off as eager about the thought of the two of them spending more time together.

Grinning happily, Burn began to float around again, talking to the starry sky. "Alright! I heard it's gonna be quite hot, though. You think you can handle the red-hot flames, Gazel?" He widened his grin, expecting to hear some kind of witty remark in response to his gentle teasing. He perked up when he heard nothing, though, as Gazel would usually reply during situations like this.

"Gazel?" Burn got back up to see what was taking the other boy, and his eyes instantly became bigger when he saw him. Gazel had succumbed to the temperature of the bath and was resting against the edge, showing no movement. The heat had been enough to not only turn his eyes into disoriented spirals, but to also make him lose his subconscious.

"Gazel!" His heart beating madly in shock, Burn rushed over to the fainted boy and grabbed him around the waist, trying to keep his head above the surface. When Gazel showed no sign that he detected his touch, Burn began to shook his shoulders some, resulting in the same response: none.

"Gazel! Oi! Gazel!"

When he realized that the heat of the water was only going to make the situation worse, Burn pulled away, knowing he had to do something before Gazel's condition weakened even further. Staring at the lifeless face in front of him, he clenched his teeth and muttered: "You idiot…!"

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><p>When Gazel woke up, he found himself in his hotel room, back on the bed. Unlike the other time, sunlight was shining brightly through the window, enabling the boy to see everything clearly. When he sat up, he realized he was wearing a blue bathrobe he was sure he hadn't put on. Gazel then remembered it: he had fainted in the onsen. What had happened after that? Where was Burn? Feeling a rush of both panic and shame flow through his body, Gazel rushed to inspect the room for his roommate, but quickly realized he was alone.<p>

He perked up when the door to their room opened and Burn entered with a tray in his hands. The first thing he looked at was Gazel, and he blinked in surprise when he saw him awake.

"Oh, Gazel, you're awake." He took a seat on Gazel's side of the bed and held a bowl of rice out to him. "Hungry?"

Gazel stared at the food, then at the boy. "Burn. What happened? What time is it? Did anyone—"

"Wow, wow, calm down," Burn urged him, holding up his free hand. With a grin, he took his own rice bowl and began to eat, unhesitant to speak with his mouth full. "You lost your cool in the onsen. I brought you here. You slept all night after that."

"All… night?" It was the next day? The beach day? While Gazel tried to comprehend the time jump, he remembered the item of clothing he was wearing. "And… this?"

Burn followed Gazel's finger and nodded at the bathrobe. "Put that on you. You lost your towel while I carried you back."

Gazel's cheeks instantly went red. He lost his towel? Burn had seen him naked? He wasn't completely sure why, but there mere thought was enough to get rid of his appetite. Avoiding eye contact, Gazel placed the bowl back on the tray.

"Thanks, but you can have it…"

"Huh?" Burn needed a moment to empty his rice-filled cheeks and swallow his bite. "You sure? I thought you'd be hungry."

"I'm fine," Gazel lied. He flinched when Burn's hand suddenly touched his forehead to check his temperature. He persisted to look away from the boy, wondering why he seemed to care for him so much. That reminded him…

As soon as Burn pulled his hand back, Gazel muttered: "Thanks for your help back there…"

"No problem," Burn smiled, completely unaware of Gazel's current feelings. "I asked you right before if you could handle the red-hot flames, but I guess it's still too early for you."

Gazel frowned at his snicker, feeling even more embarrassed for exposing Burn to such a shameful side of himself. He probably had to consider himself lucky, though, as Burn could've done much worse than to make a single joke.

"Anyway." Burn put his empty bowl back on the tray and started on Gazel's rice. "You still up for the beach? Or you wanna rest more?"

"Oh…" Gazel looked down for a moment, having to consider that. He had turned out to still be very allergic to heat and barely managed to survive an onsen bath. On top of that, he was expected to go with Burn of all people, whose behavior he still couldn't place… No wonder he had lost his subconscious.

But he saw no use in crawling back, if it was even possible for him to crawl further back. Now that Gazel had shown such an embarrassing side in public, it was time to recapture his cool and shine with pride, as he always did. Despite everything, he _could_ and _would_ enjoy a day at the beach with Burn.

Feeling his confidence return, Gazel firmly looked Burn in the eye.

"Let's go."

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you enjoyed, and please review!**


	4. The beach day

**A/N: Once again, thank you for all the reviews! I really can't stop thanking you when you guys are so sweet. *heart* And in answer to Daniiela-chan's question: their feelings are slowly growing, which is why they tend to feel confused around each other. ;3 Enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>Burn was in a good mood. The sun was shining, there was plenty of room on the beach, and now that his vacation buddy had recovered from his fainting episode, he'd have someone to tease around so he wouldn't be bored. Even though he had been worried about spending so much time with Gazel, it was really no use to constantly connect him to a past he was determined to let go of. Plus, seeing as Gazel had the same goal in mind, they might as well try to work together.<p>

"I claim this spot!" Burn ran over to an empty spot near the water and planted his bag on the sand. He turned around to Gazel, who was following him rather slowly. He had decided to cover himself under the comfort of his sunhat once more, in case the burning sun intended to make him break his promise.

Burn made a megaphone with his hands. "Oi, Gazel! Hurry up! I'll be in the water before you!" He quickly removed his shirt and pants and revealed a pair of red-hot trunks, as if to prove his point. Before he rushed into the water, though, he took a bottle of sunscreen from his bag. Sadly, even he was not immune to the powers of the sun.

Gazel made his way to the spot Burn had chosen and set his own bag next to his. He was already wearing blue-coloured trunks, plus a T-shirt to cover his chest. He preferred not to expose too much skin in this weather.

Once Burn had covered all of his body but one place with sunscreen, he handed the bottle to Gazel.

"Wanna do my back?"

"Huh?" Gazel blinked in surprise, as if he needed a moment to process the question in his head. Then, seemingly recalling something, he firmly took the sunscreen from Burn's hand and said: "Sure."

Burn spread out his towel on the sand and sat down with his legs crossed, waiting for Gazel to do his job. He flinched in surprise when Gazel's touch turned out to be surprisingly cold, and not just because of the sunscreen. It seemed that kid really _was_ cold-blooded. But once he had gotten used to Gazel's hands, Burn enjoyed them thoroughly. In spite of his coldness, Gazel made sure to rub his back gently, caressing the sunscreen along his skin in such a way that it felt like a massage.

When he heard Gazel's short "Done", Burn got up and took the bottle back, grinning at Gazel.

"Thanks. You want me to do yours?"

Gazel hesitated. "… I think a shirt would be better," he eventually decided.

"Fine with me," Burn shrugged. He put the sunscreen back in his bag and added: "It's no surprise you can't handle the fire, though. After all, you couldn't even stand against the flames of the onsen."

Gazel glared at him and slowly removed his sunhat, as that was the only thing he needed to do in order to visit the sea. He wasn't the type to burn easily.

"Let's see you beat the freezing water then," he dared.

"Hah! Easy." Burn eagerly hurried over to the water, but stopped as soon as he'd made his first steps in. He felt his entire body freeze and goose bumps dominate his skin. Damn, that water was cold!

Gazel calmly followed him into the water, seemingly having no problem with the temperature. He continued walking until the surface reached his waist and then turned to Burn.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, his smirk giving away that he already knew the answer.

Burn narrowed his eyes at him. "Of—of course not! This is nothing!" Determined to wipe that smirk off Gazel's face, Burn made his way to the other boy, the water warning him all the while that this cold was not his thing.

Gazel, apparently immune to the same cold, backed into the water some more, finding he quite liked the situation of Burn following _him_ for a change. The other boy was clearly determined to catch up with him and continued to follow with a frown on his face. Their little game continued until the pair perked up at a nearby conversation.

"I'll be Suzuno!"

"I wanna be Nagumo!"

Burn and Gazel both turned their heads in the direction of two little boys, who were playing further ahead with a beach ball.

"There's no way you can beat the freezing darkness!" the shorter one claimed.

"Oh yeah? I'll melt that ice with my red-hot flames!" the taller one challenged.

The original Burn and Gazel stared in awe at the boys, then at each other. Were these kids… their fans? They both thought highly of themselves, but they had no idea other people did the same.

One of the boys attempted to toss the beach ball to his friend, but the wind caught hold of it in mid-air and threw the ball to the side, making it land near Burn.

"Excuse me, sir! Could you give us back our—" As the boy turned to Burn while he spoke, he realized his idol was right in front of him, making his eyes widen. "… N-Nagumo-sama?"

His friend let out a cry in joy. "It's them! It's them! It's Suzuno-sama and Nagumo-sama!"

The noise the two boys made attracted more people around them, and soon it turned out many more people recognized Burn and Gazel as the famous Nagumo and Suzuno from Fire Dragon. They were quickly surrounded by their very own fangroup, and the two impersonators clung to Burn so heavily that he lost his balance and fell head-first into the water.

Gazel snickered at the sight, then focused on their fans. While Burn continued to serve as a jungle gym for excited little kids, he had a talk with two older girls, who told him the inhabitants of this island had always supported Fire Dragon.

"But why?" Gazel asked, confusedly. "We're in Japan, and Fire Dragon was from Korea."

"Yes, but you two are Japanese!" one of the girls reminded him. "It was just so cool how you worked together! And you even have your own hissatsu technique, what's it called…"

"Fire Blizzard," Gazel answered slowly, images of his teamwork with Burn flashing through his mind. He glanced down at the water for a moment, and as the memories reflected in the surface, they made a cold spot inside his chest burn softly for a moment. He and Burn had worked together many more times than just in Fire Dragon, and even though he had intended to forget about those times, he couldn't help but feel a sense of joy recalling them now.

Gazel got distracted from his thoughts when Burn suddenly let out a yelp. One of the kids chasing him turned out to be quite mischievous and had dropped a crab inside his trunks. He started running in circles through the water and cried in pain a few times, hinting the crab was alive – and angry.

"Get it out, get it out!" Burn screamed to no one in particular. He tried to pluck out the crab by himself, but the little creature was a very fast runner. The next moment, he suddenly felt a pair of cold hands grab him by the wrists and pull him backwards. Burn exhaled another yelp when the same cold hands pulled open his trunks and dove inside, successfully getting hold of the crab.

He turned around and saw Gazel stand behind him, one hand on his hip, the other holding the struggling crab in the air.

"Honestly, can you do anything on your own?" he grinned.

Burn's cheeks turned a shade of red, which darkened when the people around them started to laugh at the situation. He could deal with the outsiders, knowing they supported him anyway, but it was Gazel's eternal grin that pissed him off. He clenched his fists and snatched the crab out of his hand.

"Go to hell!" With a rough swing, Burn threw the crab at Gazel's face, but the boy tilted his body slightly and the crustacean disappeared in the water.

"Can't you do better than that?" he challenged, his grin spreading.

Burn felt his anger rise. Determined to show Gazel a lesson, he came at him with extended hands, just like he had done the other day. This time, though, Gazel was prepared and held up his own hands, catching Burn's and linking their fingers together. While the crowd around them started to cheer, the pair each tried to push the other in the water, grinning provocatively at one another.

"I can at least do you better than _you_," Burn hissed through gritted teeth.

"Yeah?" Gazel smirked. "Then beat this." Out of nowhere, he suddenly put zero energy in his struggle with Burn and swung aside, causing the other boy to fly forward and land face-first in the water for the second time.

Burn instantly got up with a piece of seaweed stuck to his tulip-shaped hair. He was now almost literally burning with rage, which only increased when he saw Gazel wasn't the least bit intimated by his fury. Starting to lose his patience with both him and the meddling crowd, he screamed: "Whatever! I don't care anymore!"

Deaf to the words the fans yelled after him, Burn left the water, aggressively dumping the sea algae in the process. When he passed his and Gazel's spot in the sand, he made sure to kick over Gazel's bag before making his way to an ice cream stand. There was quite a line waiting, but Burn didn't care. He needed something to cool off from that nasty situation right now.

Once it was his turn, he ordered: "One Spaceshuttle, please." He smiled when he had the popsicle in his hand and turned to walk away from the stand when Gazel was suddenly in front of him.

"Gah!" Burn stumbled back in shock, nearly dropping the Spaceshuttle in the process. Once he'd regained is cool, he shot the other boy a death glare. "Do I have to see your face all day?"

Gazel had his arms crossed and, much to Burn's relief, his grin replaced with a serious expression. "Weren't you the one who wanted to spend time together so badly?"

Feeling caught in the act, Burn quickly averted eye contact, wrapping his lips around the tip of the popsicle.

"I just didn't want to be bored," he muttered.

"Is that really all?" Gazel questioned with a persisting look on his face. He moved closer to Burn, filling the gap between them an uncomfortable lot. "What's going through your head, Burn? First you hate me, then you get all familiar with me, then you hate me again. It's annoying."

Burn glared at him at the sound of those words. "What about you? First you get all high of yourself, then you act like a girl, then you're confident again. You're the one who can't make up his mind."

"At least I respect your boundaries," Gazel reminded him. "Didn't you consider me your rival? Who takes a bath with his rival?"

"I'm just not used to this, okay?" Burn snapped. He was the one to take away the last bit of space, getting all up in Gazel's face. "Yes, you're supposed to be my rival! But ever since we created Chaos, I've felt— I dunno, something different! Chaos felt good! Teaming up with you felt good, even if we got beaten! I enjoy being with you, alright? And you do it too, otherwise you'd long have ditched me!"

Burn took a few steps back, taking in the shocked stare Gazel shot him. The emptiness in his teal eyes said enough to him: Gazel felt the exact same confusion. Wanting to spend time with Burn, but at the same time wondering if he wasn't supposed to.

Burn looked down at the sand. "Weren't we supposed to forget about the past…?" he said slowly. "I don't intend to be too familiar with you. That's just me when I'm taking my mind off of soccer."

"It would seem by now that _forgetting_ the past is impossible for us; otherwise we wouldn't be arguing," Gazel pointed out, taking his example in avoiding eye contact.

Burn exhaled a sigh. "Then why not accept it… and move on?"

Gazel looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Rather than trying to forget, we just have to move forward," Burn explained, now returning eye contact. "We've been rivals and we've been teammates, but we can be more than that. There's more to life than soccer; after all, that's why we're on this holiday."

"So… you're saying we should have fun without worrying?" Gazel asked hesitantly.

Burn shrugged, flashing an easy-going grin. "Basically. Staying stuck in the past is no use, and the opposite of what we wanted." He extended his hand in Gazel's direction. "Let's have fun on this holiday, Gazel!"

Gazel seemed to need a moment in order to take this idea into consideration, but then began to smile as well. Confidently, he took Burn's hand and shook it in agreement.

"Okay!"

The rest of the day, neither Burn nor Gazel needed effort fulfilling their new promise. After Gazel had chosen his own share of ice cream (which was three times as big as Burn's popsicle), the two spent more time in the water, played beach volleyball with their fans and even ended up handing out a couple of autographs. No matter how much attention the fans asked of them, though, they were most focused on each other. Everytime they now eyed the other, they could only smile, having both found a new joy in life other than soccer: spending time with their new ally, comrade and friend.

By sunset, Burn and Gazel still found themselves on the beach. While other people packed up and left for a good night's rest in their hotel, Burn was napping under a blanket of sand, with Gazel reading a book next to him.

Gazel looked up for a moment, watching how the sun slowly sank into the water, far away from them. He glanced at Burn next, smiling at the sight of the boy sleeping soundly in the sand. He picked up his sunhat and placed it gently on Burn's face, intending to protect him from the last sunrays.

"Thanks, Burn," he whispered.

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><p><strong>AN: They've finally accepted each other! Next chapter... ooh-la-la. ;D**


	5. I think I like you

**A/N: To everyone who followed the story up to here, thank you very, very much! This is the last chapter, hope you all enjoy it! Oh, and Hibisha, I know Chaos didn't actually lose, but due to the interruption they had lost their chance to become Genesis, so they basically "lost". But yeah, I personally think they would've been the strongest team. ;) Why else have Gran interrupt them? Anyway, enjoy the last chapter, everyone!**

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><p>One hour later, Burn sat on the bed in his and Gazel's bedroom, waiting for the other boy to finish his shower. He himself had already freshened up and tried to kill time with a game on his cellphone, wearing a pink bathrobe. He would've preferred a red one, but pink was the closest colour available. Due to the night heat, though, he had decided to leave it unzipped.<p>

Burn perked up when he heard a door open and Gazel exited the bathroom. He was wearing the blue bathrobe from before, as well as a towel wrapped around his icy hair.

Burn greeted him with a grin. "Decided against the onsen this time?"

Gazel answered with a sarcastic smirk. "Hah-hah. I needed something to cool off after today." He went to sit on his side of the bed and took a look at the clock. The day was coming to an end.

Burn put away his phone and flopped down on the duvet, exhaling a sigh. "We sure had fun, huh?"

"True," Gazel agreed. He looked down at the other boy and smiled a little. "Who would've thought we had fans?"

Burn shook his head. "Beats me." He placed his hands under his head and flashed Gazel a grin. "Of course, most of them only liked me."

"Only the little kids liked you," Gazel snorted. "Everyone else couldn't resist my freezing darkness."

Burn sat up and snatched his pillow from the bed. "Your freezing darkness is nothing compared to my red-hot flames! Take this!"

Gazel nearly lost his balance when the pillow hit him in the face, but he quickly regained his cool and took hold of his own pillow.

"That all you got? I'll show you how it's done!"

A pillow fight quickly ensued between the pair, consisting mostly of laughter and flying feathers. At first, it seemed like the boys were at an equal level, but Burn eventually managed to gain the upper hand by pushing Gazel on his back and sitting on his stomach, preventing escape.

Gazel used his pillow as a shield from Burn's, which kept trying to hit him in the face. Unable to hit him back at this point, he protested: "This isn't fair, get off!"

"No way, you're going down!" Burn used one hand to try and rip Gazel's pillow away, leaving the boy totally defenseless. That's when he suddenly felt Gazel's lower body struggle underneath him, which made him lose his balance.

Burn only just managed to catch himself with his elbows, but the action didn't prevent him from falling right on top of Gazel. Since the other boy's pillow had ended up at the side, their faces were forced so close together that there were only a couple of inches in distance left.

The laughter had faded, and the two boys found themselves staring at each other in complete silence. Neither of them had seen this coming, and neither of them knew what to do in this situation. They felt the other's heart pound madly against their chest and watched how the other boy's cheeks turned a deep shade of red.

It was Gazel who broke the silence after what seemed like a lifetime.

"… Burn…"

Burn's heart made a jump at the sound of this mere word. Gazel sounded far from upset; his voice was calm, yet a bit shaky at the same time. Why was his name the only thing he said? Didn't he want Burn to get off of him?

Hesitantly, Burn leaned a little closer to the other boy, watching how Gazel's face turned even darker, and, somehow, inviting. He barely thought of what he was doing; the only thing he felt at this moment was the desire to get even closer to Gazel.

"… Gazel…" Burn replied in a timid whisper. He almost flinched when he suddenly felt Gazel's hand in his hair, urging him to close the gap completely.

Their eyes were closed when their lips touched. Very slowly, Burn and Gazel relaxed their bodies, sinking away in a kiss that became deeper with the second. Gazel let his hands rest on Burn's red-hot cheeks, while Burn brought his to Gazel's shoulders. Their minds seemed frozen and were solely focused on the other boy.

When Burn pulled away, he was sure more than a minute had passed. His eyes were still stuck on Gazel's face that lay under him, blushing like crazy.

"Burn," Gazel repeated quietly, this time sounding more confident.

Burn couldn't help but smile sheepishly and halted the energy he put into hanging above the other boy. He landed on him with his face on Gazel's shoulder and answered by calling Gazel's name as well, still sounding timid, but also pleased.

Gazel welcomed him with open arms and wrapped them tightly around Burn's waist, not minding the weight. He gently brought his nose to Burn's hair, breathing in his scent. Just like him, Gazel had no doubt in his mind that what they had just done was the right thing. Their hearts pounded like crazy and the boys both felt a little shaky after this entirely new experience, but for the first time in a very long time, they felt happy. They felt truly happy.

* * *

><p>When Gazel woke up, the kiss was the first thing he remembered. He sat up abruptly, wanting to make sure it hadn't been a dream, but the pillow feathers lying on and around the bed confirmed the events of last night.<p>

Before he had time to blush madly just knowing he had kissed Burn, the culprit's voice called out to him.

"Finally awake, Gazel?"

Burn was sitting at the table at the end of the bed, fully clothed. Judging from the rice bowl and the empty glass in front of him, he had just finished breakfast.

"You sure sleep a lot," he pointed out with a grin. "Want me to get you some rice?"

"Burn—" Gazel breathed, but then realized he had no idea what to say. He felt the need to express his feelings about the kiss, but Burn's cool behavior threw him off. "About—last night we—"

"We kissed," Burn finished for him. He looked at what was left of the rice in his bowl, blushing a little. "… Gazel… you didn't mind, did you?"

Gazel raised his eyebrows. He hadn't seen that question coming, even less from Burn of all people. Did he mind? No… he certainly did not mind. But unlike yesterday, he was now wondering why he didn't mind. Burn was the person who had stolen his very kiss, and he had enjoyed it thoroughly. But Burn was his friend, and Gazel wasn't the type to accept kisses from just friends.

He eyed Burn in silence, and wondered if he felt more for him than he thought. Gazel slowly placed his hand on his chest, feeling how his heart beat faster just from looking at Burn for a while. Could Burn, his rival, his teammate and his friend, be the one he desired in the end?

"… Burn…" Gazel started slowly, realizing Burn was still waiting for an answer. He picked up the courage to look him in the eye. "… I… I think I—"

Burn held up his hand, silencing him immediately. "Ho, stop. You're gonna tell me it was a mistake and you want to forget, right? That's fine, it doesn't matter."

Gazel blinked in surprise. "Burn—"

"No, I get it. We only just started having fun as friends, and I understand that—shit!" In his haste to rob Gazel of the chance to voice his thoughts, Burn had knocked the rice bowl on the floor when he tried to pick it up along with the glass.

Gazel watched how Burn kneeled down and started picking up the broken pieces. It was obvious that his words had been a lie, and that he didn't just want to forget. And that he might be feeling the same feelings Gazel did.

"Burn," Gazel repeated firmly, "I think I like you."

Burn froze instantly. His hands dropped the pieces he had picked up, and just hung above the floor like a statue. Then, very slowly, he turned into Gazel's direction, staring at him in disbelief.

Gazel, feeling a wave of shyness befall him, quickly avoided eye contact and added in a mutter: "That was all."

He let out a yelp in surprise when he was suddenly shoved down on the bed and felt Burn's arms close around his back. The next moment, Burn stood up and pulled Gazel along with him, lifting him a couple of inches above the floor.

"Gazel," he said, but didn't finish the sentence he had in mind. Instead, he kissed Gazel a second time. This time, the kiss was filled with confidence, and the same kind of affection Burn had kissed him with before.

Gazel's eyes widened in shock for a moment, as he had not expected this from Burn. On the other hand, there was no doubt in his mind left that Burn felt the same way about him, if not more. Gazel placed his hands on Burn's shoulders and shut his eyes, returning the kiss just as confidently.

* * *

><p>The following two weeks felt like just two days. Burn and Gazel spent the rest of their holiday together, visiting the tall mountain, going on a treasure hunt with their fans (and winning), and trying out different restaurants located around the island. During that time, they never once thought of soccer and felt completely carefree, showing each other sides they had never seen before. While it turned out Gazel was quite fond of fish and rather scared of heights, Burn revealed a soft spot for cats and a dislike for vegetables. The two boys got to know each other better and better, and only liked what they saw.<p>

By their last evening on the island, Gazel felt up for trying the onsen again. Having gotten used to both the hot weather and being close to Burn, he actually looked forward to bathing with him. And this time, he did not hesitate to leave his towel behind as well.

The pairing sat together in the warm water, resting against the edge. After two weeks of adventure, they both felt rather tired and preferred to relax in the comfort of a bath.

At one point, though, Gazel decided to tell Burn something.

"You know what Yuuki-san asked me today?"

Burn turned his head to the other boy, wondering what their self-proclaimed biggest fan had blurted out this time. "What?"

"She asked me if I like Nagumo-sama," Gazel answered to the water.

Burn let out a snicker. "And what did Suzuno-sama tell her?"

Gazel blushed a bit when Burn called him that. "Suzuno-sama told her… that he'd always have some kind of respect towards him."

Burn raised his eyebrows. "What kind of crap-answer is that? I could've sworn he said "I like you" last time."

"I said I _think_ I like you!" Gazel claimed, his cheeks turning redder. He turned to Burn as well, trying to pierce the fact into his eyes.

Burn just snickered a second time and gently took Gazel's chin in his hand, pulling him closer.

"Well, you're in luck, because I think I like you too," he whispered, thoroughly enjoying how Gazel only became shyer at his words. In order to comfort him, he wrapped his arms around Gazel's neck and rested his hands on his chest, letting him lean his head on his shoulder.

Both boys glanced at the starry sky for a moment, which seemed to smile back at them. Being so close to the one they liked, sharing a bath and an entire holiday with him… This moment felt like paradise to Burn and Gazel.

After a minute or two had passed, Burn was the one to break the silence this time.

"Hey, Gazel. Have you thought of what you're gonna do when we're back home?"

Gazel remained quiet for a moment, but then shook his head honestly. "Not really… This vacation was great, but it didn't really give me an idea for my future."

He flinched when Burn's hand suddenly knocked him on the head. Gazel turned to him in surprise, placing one hand on the sore spot.

"What was that for?"

"That was an insult," Burn hmphed. "Who've you been spending your entire vacation with?"

"Pfft, so what then? You want me to marry you or something?" Gazel snorted sarcastically.

"That doesn't sound too bad," Burn teased, and let out a laugh when the other boy started to splash hot water at him. Instead of fighting back, though, he took Gazel in his arms again and buried his face in his hair, his eyes shut for a moment.

"But still… You intend to just forget about us after this?" he asked softly.

Gazel quickly shook his head again. "Of course not. I want to spend more time with you. But that doesn't mean I know how to."

Burn started to play with Gazel's locks as he spoke. "Well, one thing's for sure… I don't want to stop playing soccer."

"Me neither," Gazel agreed. "But don't you think it might turn us back into rivals?"

"Us?" Burn let out a laugh. "Gazel, you and I are gonna be the strongest team ever! Someday we'll make a comeback, I know it."

Gazel smiled at the confidence in his words and placed his hands around Burn's arms, sinking deeper into his embrace. "Wouldn't that be nice," he muttered.

"Oi, oi, don't fall asleep on me," Burn told him, poking his head softly. "I'm gonna leave you behind, you know!"

"You wouldn't dare," Gazel answered confidently, gently pulling away Burn's hand. Burn tugged it back and placed it in Gazel's hair, brushing it softly.

"Well, one thing's for sure," he said. "I wanna spend more time with you as well. And you know what, screw the future. We should just go step by step and see what happens. We'll deal with it as it comes."

Gazel let out a snicker. "What is it with you and inspirational speeches? Aren't I the one who's more fit to do that?"

"You kidding? I've always been the one with the brilliant ideas. Remember, I was the one who came up with Chaos," Burn reminded him in an all-knowing tone.

"Yeah, sure, rub it in," Gazel stuck out his tongue at him. "You're right, though," he added in a mutter, as if still reluctant to admit that Burn knew better than him at times. "To just take things as they come… sounds rather good."

"See? I'm a genius," Burn bragged jokingly. This time he was prepared for Gazel's splashing attack and held up his hands with another laugh.

When Gazel realized he wasn't going to catch Burn off-guard, he ceased his attempt to get back at him and just looked away with a grumpy pout. "Only sometimes," he admitted.

During the rest of the bath, neither Burn and Gazel said much else, and simply enjoyed the embrace they were currently in. About half an hour later, the water had made them sleepy enough to crave their bed. The hot weather hadn't calmed down over the past two weeks, though, so both boys decided to sleep in boxers.

Once they had gotten comfortable, Burn and Gazel turned to face one another, each flashing a loving smile. Rather than wasting words on a goodnight wish, they wrapped their arms tightly around each other's waist and shared an affectionate kiss, which lasted a good couple of seconds. Once they pulled back, they refused to let go of each other. Burn and Gazel ended up falling asleep in each other's arms, but not before both thinking the exact same thought:

I want to have many more holidays with him.

- END -

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><p><strong>AN: In case there are any yaoi lovers among you readers... yeah, sorry, no sex scene. XD; While they are healthy teenagers, I think their minds are a tad too childish to engage in such an intimate act. Besides, they'd only just shared their first kiss, jumping right to sex is unrealistic. Anyway, I sincerely hope everyone enjoyed this story! I'm so grateful for your support! If you want me to write more Burn/Gazel stories and have ideas, please do not hesitate to share! I promise I'll consider it (especially seeing as I have no ideas myself right now). Please review, and until next time!**


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